Posts in Category: Tech

Until Dawn and The Quarry developer Supermassive is reportedly laying off around 90 workers

Yet another notable game studio is laying off a significant chunk of its workforce. Supermassive Games, the developer behind interactive horror titles Until Dawn and The Quarry, is cutting around 90 jobs, according to Bloomberg. That’s nearly a third of the studio’s more than 300 employees.

Supermassive confirmed in a statement that the studio will reorganize. “As a result, we are entering into a period of consultation, which we anticipate will result in the loss of some of our colleagues,” it said. “This is not a decision that’s been taken lightly, with many efforts made to avoid this outcome.”

Supermassive notes that it’s not safe from the “significant challenges” facing the games industry. More than 6,000 workers in the industry have lost their jobs since the beginning of the year and we’re not even into March yet.

Meanwhile, indie studio Die Gute Fabrik has paused production amid funding difficulties. The developer of Saltsea Chronicles and Sportsfriends will use its remaining funds to give staff a month of paid time “to catch their breaths” while they look for new jobs. The studio is still seeking backers to help it resume production and hopes to bring back current team members in the future. However, it notes that “the publishing and investment scene is so tough for companies and projects of our scale right now it’s made it extremely difficult to secure funding for our next project without a gap in income.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/until-dawn-and-the-quarry-developer-supermassive-is-reportedly-laying-off-around-90-workers-165747517.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

This company gave us a sneak peek at the future of smartphone design

One of 2023’s most interesting smartphone companies is at MWC 2024, and it just gave us a sneak peek at what the future of smartphone design could look like.
Digital Trends

How to set up mobile hotspot on your Android phone

Need help setting up the mobile hotspot on your Android phone so you can stay connected wherever you are? Check out our guide and we’ll show you how.
TalkAndroid

Xiaomi 14 Ultra Is Official And Samsung Should Be Worried

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra comes in with lenses blazing. Xiaomi’s latest flagship brings high-end specs all around and promises a professional camera experience.
TalkAndroid

Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander tipped over at touchdown, but it’s still kicking

It turns out Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus spacecraft didn’t land upright after all. In a press conference with NASA Friday evening, the company revealed the lander is laying on its side after coming in a little faster than expected, likely catching its foot on the surface at the moment of landing. Fortunately, Odysseus is positioned in such a way that its solar panels are still getting enough light from the sun to keep it charged, and the team has been able to communicate with it. Pictures from the surface should be coming soon.

While the initial assessment was that Odysseus had landed properly, further analysis indicated otherwise. Intuitive Machines CEO and co-founder Steve Altemus said “stale telemetry” was to blame for the earlier reading. 

A model of the spacecraft showing it positioned on its side

All payloads except the one static art installation, though — Jeff Koons’ Moon Phases sculptures — are on the upturned side. The lander and its NASA science payloads have been collecting data from the journey, descent and landing, which the team will use to try and get a better understanding of what happened. But, all things considered, it seems to be doing well.

The team plans to eject the EagleCam, developed by students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, so it can take a picture of the lander and its surroundings perhaps as soon as this weekend. It was supposed to be ejected during descent to capture the moment of landing, but issues on touchdown day prevented it from being released. 

A portion of the Odysseus lander can be seen with the lunar surface in the background from after it reached lunar orbit
Intuitive Machines
The Bel’kovich K crater on the Moon’s northern equatorial highlands as seen by Odysseus from orbit
Intuitive Machines

Once Odysseus was in lunar orbit and hours away from its landing attempt, the team discovered its laser range finders, which are key to its precision navigation, were not working — due entirely to human error. According to Altemus, someone forgot to flip a safety switch that would allow them to turn on, so they couldn’t. That realization was “like a punch in the stomach,” Altemus said, and they thought they could lose the mission. 

The team was thankfully able to make a last-second adjustment cooked up on the fly by Intuitive Machines CTO and co-founder Tim Crain, who suggested they use one of the on-board NASA payloads instead to guide the descent, the Navigation Doppler LIDAR (NDL). In the end, Odysseus made it there alright. Its mission is expected to last a little over a week, until lunar night falls.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intuitive-machines-odysseus-lander-tipped-over-at-touchdown-but-its-still-kicking-174541034.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Try Out Samsung’s Galaxy AI On Any Android Phone

Galaxy AI is only on the S24 devices for now, but you can know if they’re worth it before buying by using the Try Galaxy app.
TalkAndroid

The Best Galaxy S24 Ultra Screen Protectors In 2024

Need an extra layer of protection besides the default Gorilla Amor? Consider these options for your Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
TalkAndroid

MediaTek Announces Select Dimensity Chips Are Now Optimized For Gemini Nano

MediaTek collaborates with Google to bring Gemini Nano optimizations to Dimensity 9300 and 8300 SoCs.
TalkAndroid

Galaxy S24’s First Update Is Live With Improvements Galore

The infamous dull-looking Vivid setting on the S24 series displays has finally been defeated, as the first update rolls out in multiple regions, packing plenty of fixes.
TalkAndroid

The best Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus cases in 2024: our 13 favorites

Did you purchase a Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus? Then you’ll need to buy it a case to protect your investment. Here are some of our favorite cases.
Digital Trends

Amazon to pay $1.9 million to settle claims of human rights abuses of contract workers

Amazon will pay out $ 1.9 million to more than 700 migrant workers to settle claims of human rights abuses following exploitative labor contracts, as reported by CNBC. The impacted laborers were working at two of the company’s warehouses in Saudi Arabia.

Amazon acknowledged the issue in a blog post, saying it hired a third-party labor rights expert to investigate warehouse conditions. The organization found numerous violations of Amazon’s supply chain standards, including “substandard living accommodations, contract and wage irregularities and delays in the resolution of worker complaints.”

This follows an Amnesty International report from last October that detailed various alleged human rights abuses experience by those contracted to work in Amazon facilities in the region, and noted that many of the impacted laborers were “highly likely to be victims of human trafficking.” The report also suggested that Amazon was aware of the high risk for labor abuse when operating in Saudi Arabia but still “failed to take sufficient action to prevent such abuses.”

Simultaneous reports by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism offered detailed accounts of the conditions that these laborers allegedly suffered under, according to NBC News. The investigations found that workers had to pay illegal recruitment fees of up to $ 2,040 to get hired. This forced the migrant workers, many of whom were from Nepal, to take out loans with high interest rates.

Investigators also learned that these workers were living in squalid conditions, with one laborer saying he was living “in a crowded room with seven other men, jammed with bunk beds infested with bed bugs.” The water was said to be salty and undrinkable. Amnesty International echoed these findings, saying that the accommodations were “lacking even the most basic facilities.”

The combination of the exorbitant hiring fees, along with the associated loans, amounted to “human trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation as defined by international law and standards,” Amnesty alleged in its report. 

Amazon has stated that it has “remediated the most serious concerns” involving the two Saudi warehouses, including an upgrade to housing accommodations. “Our goal is for all of our vendors to have management systems in place that ensure safe and healthy working conditions; this includes responsible recruitment practices,” the company wrote.

It’s worth noting that though that $ 1.9 million number seems high, it breaks down to around $ 2,700 per employee. Amazon made $ 576 billion in 2023, which comes out to more than $ 1.5 billion each day.

Amazon doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to labor. It’s regularly accused of breaking labor laws, particularly at its many product warehouses. The company is also rabidly anti-union, as many of these complaints involve attempts to stop workers from unionizing. Amazon faces multiple ongoing federal probes into its safety practices, and it has been fined by federal safety regulators for exposing warehouse workers to unnecessary risks.

However, the company remains defiant in its efforts to chip away at worker’s rights. Amazon recently filed a legal document that claims the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is unconstitutional, joining Elon Musk’s SpaceX and grocery giant Trader Joe’s. The NLRB is an independent arm of the federal government that enforces US labor law and has been operating since 1935.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-to-pay-19-million-to-settle-claims-of-human-rights-abuses-of-contract-workers-192237377.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

The Best Galaxy S23 Ultra Cases In 2024

We renew our list for the best and most recommended cases for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
TalkAndroid

How to turn your old phone into a security camera

Have an old phone sitting around unused? These apps can turn your old smartphone into a home security device.
Digital Trends

Amazon’s New Echo Hub Simplifies Controlling Your Smart Home

Amazon has started the sales of the Echo Hub — its newest smart display. Here’s what the device is capable of.
TalkAndroid

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Could Have A Larger Cover Display

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is ready to distinguish itself from the previous generation with a new look, including a new aspect ratio and bigger cover display.
TalkAndroid

How to block a number on Android phones and iPhones

No matter what type of smartphone you’re using, we can help you avoid all of those pesky robo and sales calls. Here’s how to block a number on any smartphone.
Digital Trends

The Best Galaxy S24 Ultra Accessories In 2024

Got your gadget package for your brand new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra yet? If not, we’ve got you covered!
TalkAndroid

The top 7 bestselling phones of 2023 were all … you guessed it

One brand dominated the top 10 chart for bestselling smartphones in 2023, according to data released this week by research firm Counterpoint.
Digital Trends

The Galaxy Ring: Features & Rumored Launch Date

The Galaxy Ring, Samsung’s surprise announcement at Samsung Unpacked in January, will be unveiled fully at Samsung Unpacked in July.
TalkAndroid

Galaxy AI Coming To Select Wearable Devices Soon

Samsung is betting big on AI, expanding it beyond just smartphones to wearables and other devices.
TalkAndroid

Apple may announce new iPads next month. Here’s everything we expect

All signs are pointing to Apple announcing new iPads this March. But what can you expect from those new iPads? Let us fill you in.
Digital Trends

‘Sophisticated’ iPhone fraud involving fake handsets leads to convictions

A scam that defrauded Apple out of millions of dollars’ worth of iPhones has led to the convictions of two of the perpetrators.
Digital Trends

Galaxy S24 – How to Use The AI Interpretor Feature

Travelling overseas can be a minefield if you don’t speak the local language. Thanks to the Interpreter app on the Galaxy S24, though, you can make yourself heard.
TalkAndroid

Try a Whoop fitness tracker for free for a month

The Whoop is a fitness tracker for your wrist that won’t bring another screen to your life. Try if free!
Digital Trends

How to get Fortnite on your Android phone or tablet

Fortnite may not be on the Google Play Store, but it’s still available through Epic. Here’s how to sideload the official app and jump back in.
Digital Trends

The New Xiaomi 14 Ultra Looks Stunning

The first official photos of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra have come out. Coming in black and white colorways, Xiaomi paid plenty of attention to the aesthetic side of things.
TalkAndroid

Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct will focus on upcoming third-party releases

The next Nintendo Direct is scheduled for this Wednesday, the company just announced. It’s being billed as a “partner showcase,” with Nintendo saying it’ll show off Switch games coming in the first half of this year from “our publishing and development partners.” It’ll kick off on February 21, bright and early at 9AM ET. 

While Nintendo holds these showcases on a regular basis, this one is potentially more significant than usual. Last week, Microsoft made an expected but still surprising announcement that it would begin bringing some of its titles to “other consoles,” a phrase that’s hard not to interpret as games coming to the Switch (and Sony’s PlayStation 5 as well). 

Nintendo says it’ll be a 25-minute presentation, so there’s a chance we’ll hear about some games from other developers, as well. But we’re all expecting to see some news about what games Microsoft is going to bring over to the Switch. Microsoft only said that it would be bringing four games to other platforms but didn’t name them; the latest rumors cite Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Halo and Gears of War as likely options to make the move.

This comes at a time when Nintendo doesn’t have a lot of its own first-party games scheduled for the platform (that we know of, anyway). There’s also the looming specter of a Switch 2 console; reports just said that the hardware is getting pushed back to 2025 after an expected launch at some point this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wednesdays-nintendo-direct-will-focus-on-upcoming-third-party-releases-221910223.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Stop putting your wet iPhone in rice — seriously

Experts have been warning users against the rice bag technique for over a decade. Now, Apple also advises against putting a wet iPhone in dry rice.
Digital Trends

GlobalFoundries secures $1.5 billion in CHIPS Act funding for US expansion

The Biden administration is granting $ 1.5 billion in funding to GlobalFoundries to bolster semiconductor production under the CHIPS Act. The company, which spun out from AMD in 2009 and also has access to $ 1.6 billion in loans from the CHIPS Program Office, will split the cash between three projects.

First, GlobalFoundries will build a new fabrication facility in Malta, New York, where it aims to produce “high value technologies not currently available in the US,” the Department of Commerce said in a statement. GlobalFoundries says it will use the facility to build chips for a range of industries and applications, including the automotive, aerospace, defense and AI spaces. Construction is expected to start in 2025.

Secondly, GlobalFoundries plans to expand its existing facility in Malta by incorporating tech from its Singapore and Germany plants with the aim of making more semiconductors for use in cars and trucks. This expansion, combined with the new fab, will enable GlobalFoundries to triple the capacity of its Malta campus over the next decade or so. Once all phases of both projects are complete, GlobalFoundries expects to increase wafer production to 1 million per year across the plants.

Last but not least, the remaining funding will go toward modernizing an existing fab in Burlington, Vermont. The aim is to build the first US plant capable of high-volume manufacturing of next-generation gallium nitride on silicon semiconductors for electric vehicles, smartphones, the power grid and other key technologies. The plant will use entirely carbon-free energy, while an on-site solar system will provide up to nine percent of annual power needs.

Through public-private partnerships, GlobalFoundries plans to invest more than $ 12 billion into the sites over the next 10-plus years. New York is also supporting the Malta projects with $ 575 million in performance-based Green CHIPS tax credits, while the New York Power Authority is investing at least $ 30 million.

The Department of Commerce says the three projects are expected to create 1,500 manufacturing positions and around 9,000 construction jobs over the next 10 years. The positions are slated to pay fair wages and offer benefits including childcare.

Aligned with the broader aims of the CHIPS Act, the investment is designed to improve domestic semiconductor supply chains. GlobalFoundries says that there are only four companies that can deliver “current and mature foundry capabilities” at its scale outside of China, and it’s the only one of those based in the US.

Last year, the company reached a direct supply agreement with GM to provide the automaker with US-built processors and help it avoid the kinds of chip shortages that caused a significant slowdown in car manufacturing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. GlobalFoundries agreed to create an exclusive capacity corridor for GM chips. GlobalFoundries struck a chip deal with Ford in 2021 as well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/globalfoundries-secures-15-billion-in-chips-act-funding-for-us-expansion-172754429.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

How to reset default apps on an Android phone or tablet

Nothing is forever. If you’re rethinking your decision and want to reset default apps, just follow our guide for stock Android and most Samsung phones.
Digital Trends

Certain OnePlus 12R Buyers Entitled To A Refund

The 256GB OnePlus 12R was advertised as coming with UFS 4.0, but it is actually UFS 3.1. OnePlus will be offering refunds to some users to make up for its error.
TalkAndroid

The 6 best foldable phone Presidents’ Day deals available now

We’ve gathered the best foldable phone Presidents’ Day deals right here, including our favorite offer — a $ 350 discount on the 256GB Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Digital Trends

When Will The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Launch?

Even with the Z Fold 5 switching up things a bit before, the next Z Fold 6 is expected to be released in the same time of th year.
TalkAndroid

The Best Galaxy A54 Cases In 2024

We explore the best cases for the Galaxy A54, covering many options and price points.
TalkAndroid

I tried the Apple Vision Pro. Here’s why it won’t replace my iPhone

Thanks to a demo at the Apple Store, I tried out the Apple Vision Pro. Will it replace my iPhone? No … at least not yet.
Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: a tough battle

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a fantastic smartphone. But is it really worth $ 300 more than the Google Pixel 8 Pro? It’s time to figure that out.
Digital Trends

Google Messages May Soon Get a Handy New Feature

The engineers at Google are working to bring a useful new feature to the Messages app.
TalkAndroid

Galaxy S24 Camera Update In Detail – What Will Be Updated?

The S24 series have been out for about a month and have started receiving their first updates. With these, come plenty of camera performance improvements.
TalkAndroid

Google just announced Android 15. Here’s everything that’s new

It’s that time once again. Google has just announced Android 15 and released the first developer preview for it. Here’s everything that’s new!
Digital Trends

All the best deals in Best Buy’s Presidents’ Day sale

Though it doesn’t get the respect of Black Friday, Presidents’ Day is actually a very good time for deals. Many stores have dedicated sales in place to help you celebrate George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, just like the former presidents intended. Best Buy is especially known for its robust Presidents’ Day sales, and this year is no exception.

The retailer has officially cut the ribbon on this year’s deals and Engadget’s here to find the cream of the crop. Here are the best finds in Best Buy’s Presidents’ Day sale. There’s plenty of tech, but no axes to chop down a cherry tree (sorry, George.)

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/all-the-best-deals-in-best-buys-presidents-day-sale-140038148.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

How to turn off 5G on a Samsung phone (including the Galaxy S24)

Whether you own a new Z Fold 3 5G or a midrange A71 5G, it’s easy to turn off 5G on a Samsung phone. We show you how to do this to save battery life.
Digital Trends

23 of the best Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks

Netflix’s tried-and-true formula hardly begs for improvement, but you can get even more out of your subscription with these tips and tricks for all users.
Digital Trends

How to turn off Google Assistant on any device

Uncomfortable with Google Assistant? Tired of it popping up uninvited? Our simple guide will show you how to limit it or turn it off altogether on any device.
Digital Trends

Oppo And Vivo To Quit Making Foldables As Samsung Rolls On

It’s being reported that BKK brand Vivo and Oppo could quit the foldables segment in 2024 as Samsung and Huawei double down.
TalkAndroid

Their children were shot, so they used AI to recreate their voices and call lawmakers

The parents of a teenager who was killed in Florida’s Parkland school shooting in 2018 have started a bold new project called The Shotline to lobby for stricter gun laws in the country. The Shotline uses AI to recreate the voices of children killed by gun violence and send recordings through automated calls to lawmakers, The Wall Street Journal reported

The project launched on Wednesday, six years after a gunman killed 17 people and injured more than a dozen at a high school in Parkland, Florida. It features the voice of six children, some as young as ten, and young adults, who have lost their lives in incidents of gun violence across the US. Once you type in your zip code, The Shotline finds your local representative and lets you place an automated call from one of the six dead people in their own voice, urging for stronger gun control laws. “I’m back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you,” says the AI-generated voice of Joaquin Oliver, one of the teenagers killed in the Parkland shooting. “Other victims like me will be calling too.” At the time of publishing, more than 8,000 AI calls had been submitted to lawmakers through the website.

“This is a United States problem and we have not been able to fix it,” Oliver’s father Manuel, who started the project along with his wife Patricia, told the Journal. “If we need to use creepy stuff to fix it, welcome to the creepy.”

To recreate the voices, the Olivers used a voice cloning service from ElevenLabs, a two-year-old startup that recently raised $ 80 million in a round of funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. Using just a few minutes of vocal samples, the software is able to recreate voices in more than two dozen languages. The Olivers reportedly used their son’s social media posts for his voice samples. Parents and legal guardians of gun violence victims can fill up a form to submit their voices to The Shotline to be added its repository of AI-generated voices.

The project raises ethical questions about using AI to generate deepfakes of voices belonging to dead people. Last week, the Federal Communications Commission declared that robocalls made using AI-generated voices were illegal, a decision that came weeks after voters in New Hampshire received calls impersonating President Joe Biden telling them to not vote in their state’s primary. An analysis by security company called Pindrop revealed that Biden’s audio deepfake was created using software from ElevenLabs.

The company’s co-founder Mati Staniszewski told the Journal that ElevenLabs allows people to recreate the voices of dead relatives if they have the rights and permissions. But so far, it’s not clear whether parents of minors had the rights to their children’s likenesses.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/their-children-were-shot-so-they-used-ai-to-recreate-their-voices-and-call-lawmakers-003832488.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Instacart cuts 250 jobs after reporting increased revenue

Another day, another layoff occuring in the tech world. Instacart, the popular grocery delivery and pick-up service has announced the termination of 250 employees — about seven percent of its workforce. The layoffs are primarily individuals in management, as Instacart told Engadget that it was moving towards a flatter organization. The company also said that it was disbanding some teams working on smaller projects in favor of focusing on bigger bets like retail-powered media and off-platform ads. Most of the layoffs will go into effect by March 31 with Instacart estimating that the process will cost the company between $ 19 million and $ 24 million due to factors like severance pay and employee benefits.

Instacart released the news along with its fourth-quarter earnings. Despite choosing to layoff employees, the company reported a six percent increase in revenue, jumping from $ 803 million to $ 804 million, year-over-year. At the same time, Instacart is seeing the voluntary departure of three of its executives: the chief operating officer, chief technology officer and chief architect.

The layoffs follow only a short time after Instacart's September 2023 IPO. Unlike many companies that barely (or didn't) survive the COVID-19 pandemic, Instacart thrived. It allowed people to stay and still receive their groceries and other necessary items. Now, it exists in 5,500 cities and, like most companies of the past year, is focusing on building its AI capabilities. But, despite its increased revenue, the company's layoffs signal that not everything is going as planned over at Instacart

Update, Feb 14 2024, 5:45PM ET: This story has been updated with additional details from Instacart about the parts of the organization affected, and to note that Instacart primarily isn't letting people go who are working on their ads products. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instacart-cuts-250-jobs-after-reporting-increased-revenue-112503431.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Defense Department alerts over 20,000 employees about email data breach

The Department of Defense sent a data breach notification letter to thousands of current and former employees alerting that their personal information had been leaked, DefenseScoop reported on Tuesday. While the department first detected the incident in early 2023, the notifications didn’t begin to go out until earlier this month. More than 20,000 individuals appear to be affected by the breach. 

The letter explains that emails messages were “inadvertently exposed to the internet” by a Defense Department “service provider.” The emails contained personally identifiable information. While the agency doesn’t clarify what type of information, PII generally ranges from information like social security numbers, home address or other sensitive details. “While there is no evidence to suggest that your PII was misused, the department is notifying those individuals whose PII may have been breached as a result of this unfortunate situation,” the letter says. It urges affected parties to sign up for identity theft protection.

According to TechCrunch, the breach stems from an unsecured cloud email server that leaked sensitive emails onto the web. The Microsoft server, which was likely misconfigured, could be accessed from the internet without so much as a password. 

“As a matter of practice and operations security, we do not comment on the status of our networks and systems. The affected server was identified and removed from public access on February 20, 2023, and the vendor has resolved the issues that resulted in the exposure,” the Department of Defense said in a statement. “DOD continues to engage with the service provider on improving cyber event prevention and detection. Notification to affected individuals is ongoing.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/defense-department-alerts-over-20000-employees-about-email-data-breach-164528056.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

The Morning After: United Airlines grounded its new Airbus fleet over ‘no smoking’ signs

United Airlines had to ground its new Airbus A321neo planes, not due to a major safety issue, but because the light-up “no smoking” signs are automated.

A 1990 ruling mandates that the signs on aircraft must be manually operated by the crew. Airbus A321neo features software that automatically displays the signage during a flight, so the crew doesn’t switch it on and off. Bear in mind that smoking was fully banned from both domestic and international flights nearly 25 years ago.

Even more frustratingly, automated signage systems are not even new. Many air travel companies apply for exemptions with the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) – which United did for its entire fleet back in 2020. However, the company's Airbus A321neo is so new that it doesn’t fall under that protection.

The federal agency has now permitted United to fly its fleet of A321neos, five in all, while evaluating those pesky signs.

– Mat Smith

The Flipper Zero digital multi-tool can now play games

It uses an external module powered by Raspberry Pi.

TMA
Engadget

The Flipper Zero digital multi-tool can interact (or hack) wireless devices and smart home systems, connecting through IR, NFC, RFID, Bluetooth and physical connections. Now, it can even play games, thanks to a partnership with Raspberry Pi. A new add-on can run games programmed in C, C++ and MicroPython. To suit the quirkiness of Flipper’s device, it even features sensors for hand-tracking. The Video Game Module can also output video to external displays.

Continue reading.

Nothing's next phone will debut on March 5

It will see a limited release in the US as part of a 'developer program.'

TMA
Engadget

Nothing says it will reveal its latest Phone 2a on March 5th. However, instead of an official release like the Phone 2, the device will be part of a "developer program in the US." The company didn't reveal any images of the device or pricing, but the company may use a simplified Phone 2 esthetic, given the naming convention. The Phone 2 had a unique design with a transparent Gorilla Glass back and 11 LED "Glyph" strips.

Continue reading.

Sarah Silverman’s copyright lawsuit against ChatGPT gets reduced

But the core accusation remains.

Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against OpenAI will advance but some of her legal team’s claims have been dismissed. The comedian sued OpenAI and Meta in July 2023, claiming they trained their AI models on her books and other work without consent. US District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín threw out parts of the complaint on Monday, including negligence and unjust enrichment, but the principal claim remains; that OpenAI directly infringed on copyrighted material to train its AI models.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-united-airlines-grounded-its-new-airbus-fleet-over-no-smoking-signs-101534262.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Best Google Pixel 8 deals: Save $800 on the latest Pixel

The Google Pixel 8 is a great mid-range smartphone and it’s also highly affordable. Here’s where you can find the best Google Pixel 8 deals.
Digital Trends